Friends Forever, Together Forever
by DigimonDragonLady
Summary: Another Kensuke/Daiken from DigimonDragonLady. ^_^ Its my new favorite addiction. This one's different from my other stories...don't really know how to describe it...usually i write pointless fluff...maybe this is fluffy too. Special appearances by chibi


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Disclaimer:

Ken: _Right, right here we go again. Digimon Dragon Lady doesn't own Digimon. None of these characters that are mentioned are hers. So don't sue her! There…I said it._

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Dragon Lady: _Oh bravo Ken-chan!_ ***claps hands and rolls eyes sarcastically*** _Well…I've got to humor him don't I?_

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Ken: _What did you say?_

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Dragon Lady: _Oh…nothing._

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Ken: _Liar, I can read what you type._

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Dragon Lady: _Damn._

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Ken: _So I'll ask again…what did you say?_

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Dragon Lady: ***stubbornly* **_Nothing. That's my story and I'm sticking to it._^_~

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Ken: _Right…._

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Dragon Lady: _So anyway…enough with the time wasting. This is another one of my Kensuke/Daiken stories. They just happen to be my new favorite addiction. _^_^ _They're so cute_**!!!!** _This story is a little bit different from my others. I know it goes against parts of the show, but I had to write it anyway. Ken-chan gives me these annoying little Kensuke stories that won't leave my head until I write them down and share the suffering with others, so what else can I do? Read on! If you're still interested that is..._

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**Friends Forever, Together Forever**

By: Digimon Dragon Lady

A moment in summer

belongs to me

and one particular 

honey bee.

A moment in summer

shimmering clear

making the sky

seem very near,

a moment in summer

belongs to me.

~ Charlotte Zolotow

The sun was bright and the weather was just warm enough to be comfortable in. A cool breeze stirred through the lush, green grass around them every minute or so, and when it did the leaves of the giant oak tree that the two boys lay beneath would wave back and forth in the small wind. This caused the enormous shadow that it cast to flicker and dance with it. The air was perfumed with the faint scent of delicate flowers. Ken sighed happily, simply enjoying the moment.

This was bliss, their own private euphoria. Paradise in its highest form. And maybe an ordinary person upon looking at the scenery around them would shrug and say, "Oh that's nothing special." But it was special, because this was their spot. So far as they knew nobody else ever came here, or even knew about it, it belonged to them and them alone. Possibly untouched by another human soul. Their spot. Their perfect spot.

Them being, of course, Ken Ichijouji and Daisuke Motomiya. Ken sighed again, this time somewhat sadly and wistfully. Being here today was wonderful and rare and in his opinion didn't happen often enough. It wasn't very often the pair could get a whole day of blissful relaxation to themselves. Normally it was only a few stolen minutes here and there out of each day, maybe a late night rendezvous when no one else was awake…things like that. For this reason Ken always treasured these times alone with Daisuke; to him they were precious, sacred. For it wasn't often that Daisuke was without the other Chosen Children. But whenever he was Ken would drop everything that he was doing just to spend the time with him. Of course being Kaizer kept him very busy.

But today Iori had kendo practice, Hikari cheerleading, Miyako was grounded…for something or other…(did it really matter what?) and Takeru was spending the day with his brother in the city. Therefore the Kaizer got a whole day alone with his love.

Yes, he knew that he loved Motomiya Daisuke; loved everything about him. He had never bothered to question whether his feelings were true or not, he simply knew. Of course one could say that Ken was not yet old enough to know what love actually meant, that it was only a childhood crush, but Ken disagreed. He couldn't explain the wonderful way he felt around Daisuke, could never really describe it in full, understandable terms. But being around him made him feel light and giddy and dizzy…and most importantly Daisuke had a way of making him feel human. He realized that when he was with Daisuke he didn't have to be perfect, only had to be himself. Didn't have to put up barriers and seclude himself away from the enjoyment of the world around him. Sometimes he felt like he was flying, soaring high above everything that humanity could only hope to achieve. Daisuke made him feel wanted. It was like an emotional high every time he was near.

Of course Ken and Daisuke didn't always agree with everything the other did. Daisuke still fought the Kaizer as a Chosen Child, fought him for everything he was worth because he believed Ken to be wrong. And in return Ken didn't spare the Chosen Children any trouble just because of Daisuke. But Ken knew that if he ever actually defeated the Chosen that he would take Daisuke by his side; and Daisuke knew that when the Kaizer fell from power, as he was sure he eventually would, that he would be the first to welcome Ken into the fold.

But when they were together there was an unspoken agreement between them never to hold a victory or a loss against their love. If Daisuke went away from a battle furious with the outcome he never came to Ken that way and vice versa. When the two were together there was no right and wrong, good and evil, Chosen Child and Kaizer; there was only Ken and Daisuke. Two teenagers in love, the same as everyone else in the world.

Ken felt Daisuke's finger tips brush lightly down his arm and he smiled, closing his eyes and breathing in deeply. "You're doing it again," Daisuke told him in an amused, slightly accusing tone of voice.

"What? Doing what Daisuke?" he asked innocently, knowing full well what he was going to say, and snuggling closer into the boys strong arms.

"Thinking too much. You shouldn't do that, its not healthy."

"Oh?" Ken opened his eyes and turned his bright indigo gaze upon Daisuke. The boy smiled down at him. "And pray tell, just what should I be doing?"

"Well, you don't spend half enough time with me," Daisuke stated suggestively.

Ken only laughed. It might have seemed to an unknowledgeable outsider that their relationship could exist only upon lust, but in fact their love was sealed in a deep bond of companionship and friendship that seemed to have existed since the dawn of creation and that would no likely continue until the end of time. And while it seemed that Ken, with his Kaizer position, might be the more forceful of the duo it was actually Daisuke who instigated most of the sexual situations. At least he attempted to; but Ken was content merely to lay in the other boys arms for eternity and do nothing more than that, gazing at the vision of loveliness surrounding them.

"Must you ruin the beautiful mood?" he pouted.

Daisuke laughed and leaned down, capturing Ken's lips with his own and he succeeded in getting a small moan of pleasure out of him. "We could make it even more beautiful, you and I together Ken-koi," he whispered seductively in the raven haired boy's ear when he finally pulled away.

Ken only rolled his eyes and shook his head, he pushed Daisuke back so that he could once again rest his head against the bearer of Courage's chest. "Oh don't spoil it Dai-chan."

"Its not spoiling it," Daisuke protested quietly, already knowing he had lost, he stroked Ken's cheek lightly and ran a hand through his silken, soft hair. "Its only making it better."

"So you say," Ken murmured sleepily. The warm atmosphere was beginning to get to him.

"You're so beautiful Ken-chan, it's a wonder you're still a virgin.," Daisuke refused to give up, but he couldn't help but yawn.

"And I'm so tired it looks like its going to stay that way for a good while yet," Ken said firmly. "And unlike you Daisuke, I have a little something I like to call self control."

Daisuke responded with a little "hmph" noise; but he was falling quickly, along with Ken, into the clutches of sleep. He closed his eyes and yawned for a second time. His hold around the Digimon Kaizer never loosened as they drifted off.

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* * *

Ken hugged his knees to his chest as he sat beneath the solid oak tree and looked out at all the other happy children through gaps in some bushes. They were all running around the playground shrieking and laughing and having a generally good time. It wasn't fair, why did he have to be here all alone? Everybody else had someone to play with, but not him.

Osamu was supposed to be there with him, but Ken knew that his brother hated being around all the grownups in the park who would continuously stand there and say what a nice, smart boy he was. So he managed to get himself out of coming by telling Okaasan that he had too much studying to do. Ken hated the park too and told Okaasan that he didn't want to go without Osamu, but she made him come anyway.

Okaasan had some idea that he should get out more and make young friends of his own, rather than latching unto Osamu and his friends the way he seemed to do. To her it seemed that her second son was secluded and a social introvert, where as his brother was exactly the opposite. She had thought about getting him some counseling to see if that would help any, for it seemed that he simply didn't want to interact with other children. She would have been astonished had she known that Ken actually wanted a companion more than anything, but felt that no one wanted him as theirs. He knew they were all only nice to him and put up with him because they wanted to know Osamu. So after a while he had just stopped trying.

And it was times like these that poor Ken had never felt more alone in his small, little life. He cried silent tears of rejection and humiliation all by himself, in a place where no one could see him. Until a soft voice broke in upon him. "Hey, what's the matter?"

Ken's head snapped up and he stared at the newcomer. It was a boy who couldn't have been more than his own age of six. He sniffed and rubbed his sore, tired eyes as he looked at him. The boy had unruly cinnamon brownish red hair which was wildly spiked, making it look like he had just lost a fight with a lawn mower. On top of his head rested a pair of sports athletic goggles. (**A/N**: the square ones Daisuke had in the beginning of the first episode of 02) His eyes were a rich chocolaty brown and he had an open, and friendly face. Under his left arm was tucked a soccer ball.

"Why are you crying?" he asked and seated himself on the ground beside Ken.

Ken blinked. Why did he care? "I don't know," he stammered.

The boy giggled. "Don't be silly, you've gotta know why you're crying, else you wouldn't be doing it now would you?"

"I…guess so." Ken admitted slowly, thinking that through. "I just didn't want to the park today."

"Didn't want to come to the park?" the other boy appeared shocked at the very thought. "Why not?!"

"Well…I don't have any friends here. Usually when my Okaasan makes me come my brother plays with me, but he didn't wanna come today and nobody ever wants to play with me or be friends with me if Osamu isn't here 'cause they all like him better than me…" 

Ken found himself spilling out all his concerns and insecurities about his life to a complete stranger. How he never had any friends, and how he hated to be alone. How he wished sometimes his parents would pay more attention to him than to his brother, how he didn't think he could ever be as good or smart as Osamu…Then he realized what he was doing and stopped. 

He stayed very quiet looking at the boy and waiting for some kind of a reaction. So far throughout his talk he had only stayed very still and nodded dumbly, but now he was probably going to hate him just like everyone else. 

"You don't have any friends?" he asked slowly. Ken shook his head sadly, still waiting for the negative reaction that he knew was coming. "Well then I'll be you're friend," he offered.

Ken blinked in surprise. He'd…what? This boy wanted to be his friend? He hadn't expected that at all. "You…you will?" he blurted out.

"Sure, we can be best friends! My name's Daisuke."

"My name's Ken," he said quietly, suddenly very shy.

"You sure are quiet Ken," Daisuke smiled. "Why's that?"

"I dunno," Ken shrugged. "When I'm quiet I'm usually thinking about something."

"Thinking?" Daisuke made a face and Ken laughed. Daisuke was pleased to get such a reaction out of him, his new best friend. He put his arm around his waist and Ken relaxed against him, leaning his head on his shoulders. "Thinking is unnatural," he declared in good humor, knowing that Ken would most likely take it to heart if he didn't. "Something about its gotta be bad for you."

To his relief Ken only laughed again. "Maybe it is," he agreed. "But its something that I do a lot. Sorry."

"Hey, I don't mind!" Daisuke told him. "I'll just have to find ways to keep you from thinking too much when you're with me!"

Ken lifted his head and smiled and Daisuke leaned slowly forward and brought their lips together in a child like kiss. It only lasted for a second, but Ken's eyes widened and he blushed in embarrassment. "What did you do that for?" he asked.

"Because you're beautiful," Daisuke responded without any visible trace of the embarrassment that Ken was feeling.

Ken's blush deepened. "Is that something best friends do?"

"I don't know," Daisuke frowned thoughtfully. "But I like you Ken."

"I like you too Daisuke."

"Then lets make each other a promise," Daisuke said seriously, his brown eyes sparkling and vibrantly alive. "Friends forever, no matter what right?"

"Friends forever," Ken agreed solemnly and then he leaned forward and kissed Daisuke.

****

* * *

Hurt no living thing;

Ladybird nor butterfly,

Nor moth with dusty wing, 

Nor cricket chirping cheerily, 

Nor grasshopper so light of leap,

Nor dancing gnat, nor beetle fat,

Nor harmless worms that creep.

~ Christina Rossetti

Daisuke saw Ken enter the park with his mother and older brother. They always came on Fridays, and sometimes Osamu would be there with Ken, and sometimes he wouldn't be. But it didn't really matter to Ken anymore, because he knew that Daisuke would always be there waiting for him.

"Ken!" Daisuke called out and waved happily as he ran up to him.

"Hello Daisuke," Ken greeted him cheerfully.

"Hello Osamu-sempai, Ichijouji-sama," Daisuke bowed politely to Ken's mother and older brother.

"Oh hello Daisuke dear," Ken's mother bubbled. She was glad that Ken had finally found himself a friend, and in such a nice, polite young boy too.

Osamu merely nodded stiffly. "Hello Daisuke-kun, its always good to see you." Daisuke, though he loved Ken, disliked the first Ichijouji boy. There was just something about him that struck him as bad and he avoided coming into contact with him as often as he possibly could, though he never let Ken know how he felt because the boy hero worshiped his brother, but he felt that the feeling between them was mutual.

Daisuke turned to Ken. "Do you want to go and get some ice cream Ken-kun?" he asked. "Then we can go explore the woods." Out of the very corner of his eye he could see Osamu frown. Sometimes he thought that it was jealousy of his younger brother for having a true friend that made Osamu dislike Daisuke, but he shrugged off the unbidden thought and focused on Ken.

"We only ever follow one trail Daisuke," Ken laughed. "And we've explored the whole thing already. So its no different from last Friday, or the Friday before that, or even the Friday before that…"

Daisuke smiled and shrugged. He knew that Ken wasn't rejecting the suggestion he made, it was only his own unique version of humor. "Does it matter?" he asked. "We'll have fun no matter what we do, 'cause you're with me." He gave Ken one of his winning smiles.

Ken only laughed again and then turned to his mother. "Okaasan may I?"

"Of course Ken-chan!" his mother beamed at them. "You know you don't have to ask! You and Daisuke go and have a good time."

"Thank you Kaasan."

He and Daisuke ran off in the direction of the park ice cream vendor. As soon as they had their cones, rocky road for Daisuke and plain vanilla for Ken, they did indeed wander into the wooded trails. Hardly anyone ever used them and the two boys liked the privacy the dense trees provided.

"So what's new?" Daisuke asked Ken as they walked along eating their cones.

"Well…we're going to an awards banquet tomorrow because…"

"Wait a minute!" Daisuke interrupted him. Ken blinked. "Is this about you…or your brother?"

"Well, its Osamu's new award and…"

"Stop! Right there. I don't want to hear anymore about it. I want to know about you Ken, not your brother." Daisuke said. He knew that Ken loved his brother very much and thought the world of him, but sometimes he went all quiet and depressed when talking about him and Daisuke didn't want that. He also wasn't very interested in Osamu and his genius awards, as far as he were concerned the world revolved around Ken and Ken alone.

"Yeah?" Ken asked. Daisuke thought that sometimes Ken still couldn't get over the fact that he was more interested in him than his stuffy brother. That he couldn't stop thinking that Daisuke only wanted to hear about Osamu like everyone else. Daisuke wondered how long it was going to take him to coax Ken out of that habit.

"Of course! That's why I'm your friend and not another on of Osamu's fame followers." Daisuke kissed Ken. Ken only smiled and laughed.

"Yeah, that's forever."

There was a rustling in a big bush to their right and Ken and Daisuke stopped dead in their tracks and looked at each other. "Its gotta be a rabbit," Daisuke suggested. "Or squirrel maybe?"

Ken swallowed hard and nodded. "Or a bird or something--"

Before he could finish that thought a pair of bizarre creatures jumped into their path. One of them looked like he had a big, green leaf glued to his tail and the other one was round and blue. "Are these them do you think?" the leaf one asked the blue one.

"Its gotta be." the blue thing answered.

They looked up at the two boys and Ken and Daisuke stared back. "I'd know Ken-chan anywhere!" the leaf one answered happily. "Oh yay a chibi Ken!" he leaped up into Ken's arms. Ken was so startled that he almost dropped him.

"You do look like a lot younger Daisuke. Hey you even have his old goggles! You're right, these are them!" The blue one began jumping up and down.

"My name's Leafmon," the green creature told Ken. 

"And mine's Chibomon." The blue one introduced himself to Daisuke.

"Um…hi," they both stammered.

"What are you two?" Ken asked.

"We're digimon! More importantly, we're your digimon!"

"What's a digimon?" Daisuke asked.

"That stands for Digital Monster!" Chibomon told him happily.

"Oh…" Daisuke didn't quite know what to say after this statement.

"We've gotta go back to DigiWorld soon Chibomon. Elecmon will miss us. He won't be too happy, but I just wanted to see my partner before I meet him."

"Yeah." Chibomon was sort of sad.

"Where are you going? Can we come too?" Ken asked eagerly.

"To the Digital World of course," Chibomon replied matter of factly. "And no you can't come yet."

"What do you mean not yet?" Daisuke asked. "Do we get to see another world soon?" he looked at Ken.

"Not soon, in a few years. Maybe…like five or something…" Leafmon responded. "You're not ready yet, you're too young." He looked sadly up at Ken. "Oh you seem like such a nice human, I'm sorry that it doesn't turn out right for you…"

"What?" Daisuke asked. "What about Ken?"

"Are you two good friends?" the digimon asked, looking up at them curiously.

"We're best friends!" Daisuke answered smiling and slinging an arm around Ken's shoulder.

"That's good." Don't ever forget you have Daisuke as a friend Ken-chan. Remember that you are and always will be a Chosen Child of the Digital World. Carry your kindness close to your heart. Remember that you are Chosen. Evil forces will try to tell you otherwise but you must not give in to them. Never surrender to the darkness, stray far from the path of the Kaizer. Never forget who you really are."

"I…" Ken didn't know what to say to all that.

"We've go to go now," Chibomon sounded regretful. "We just came to warn you…but I'll see you again Daisuke, in your future."

"No wait! Tell us more! What happens to Ken?! What do you know?!!"

"Bye." They began to glow, so brightly that Daisuke and Ken had to throw up their arms and shield their eyes from the intensity. When all the light disappeared and they brought their arms down to look around Chibomon and Leafmon were no where to be seen. Daisuke wondered if they were back in the Digital World now. Ken gave a small whimper and he turned to his friend with concern.

"What's gonna happen to me?" Ken whispered. "Leafmon made it sound so bad…" Daisuke wrapped his arms around him and kissed Ken gently. Ken kissed him back and clung to him desperately, shaking and crying the whole time.

"Nothing's going to happen to you Ken," Daisuke declared vehemently. "Not while I'm around. I won't let anyone hurt you, I promise."

"Promise you won't let me hurt people Daisuke?" Ken asked.

Daisuke was taken aback. "I…what?"

Ken shook his head. "I dunno, its just this feeling I got when Leafmon was talking, like I was going to hurt people. Don't ever let me hurt anyone Dai-chan, I don't want to hurt people…anyone, not a living thing!"

"All right…"Daisuke soothed him. And continued to hold him close. Anything to make Ken calm down. "I promise Ken."

****

* * *

Ken chocked back a sob. He stared at the phone on the table and several times reached out to pick it up, but withdrew his trembling hand each time. Maybe he'd better not call. Something important might happen, his parents might call again; to tell him that it had all been a big mistake and that everything was all right and they were coming home soon.

Should he call? He really needed to talk to Daisuke…but maybe he was still too emotional to call. Maybe if he let himself wait and call later he could calm down and speak clearly. No…he needed to talk to Daisuke now. He reached out again and firmly picked up the receiver. He didn't even have to think, just let his fingers play across the buttons, he could dial Daisuke's number blindfolded.

He stood there and waited as the phone rang once…twice…

A large lump was beginning to form in his throat and he was holding back the tears which were threatening to spill over and blur his vision. He really needed his friend right now…why was no one answering?

Then a voice came over the other line. "Moishi, Moishi. Motomiya residence." It wasn't Daisuke, it was his sister Jun.

"Konnichiwa Jun-sempai, may I speak to Daisuke please?" he forced himself to make the words come from his dry mouth.

"Oh hi Ken! Its so good to hear from you. How are you doing?" 

Ken was desperate. How could she pick now to stand there and babble. "Please Jun, I really need to talk to Daisuke, is he there?"

"Daisuke-kun, yeah sure, I'll get him now." There was the sound of the phone being put down and Ken could faintly hear Jun screaming for her younger brother. If it had been any other time he would have been laughing, but not now…

The phone was picked up again. "…Daisuke?" Ken asked.

"Hi Ken…is something wrong?" Ken could tell Daisuke knew something big was up. He always knew exactly how Ken was feeling before he told him.

"Its Osamu, he…" Ken broke up as a sob built in his throat and he slid to the floor in a heap by the telephone table.

"What did he do Ken?" Daisuke's voice came in loud and clear, ringing like a bell through the phone. "Are you okay? Did he do something to you?" Ken had known Daisuke had always been wary of his older brother…but did Daisuke really think Osamu would hurt him? Okay…he'd struck him a few times, but Osamu really loved him. Why was Daisuke so quick to think that?

"Nn…no. Its not…He…he's gone Daisuke."

"What do you mean Ken? Where has he gone?" Daisuke was confused. Ken knew he couldn't be making much sense. If his thoughts wouldn't settle and he wasn't thinking straight there was no way that he could be speaking clearly.

"He's…dead." Ken burst into an unstoppable fit of hysterical tears. The warm, salty tears streamed down his pale cheeks and his eyes burned. There was dead silence from the other line. Daisuke had to be processing the information he had just given him. Why had he called Daisuke? What could Daisuke do about Osamu that Ken couldn't do? That his parents couldn't do? That the doctors at the hospital couldn't do.

"Ken, Ken are you listening? Are you still with me? I'm coming over now Ken, all right? I'll be there in a few minutes. Just hold on okay?"

"Aa…all right," he sobbed.

Please hurry, please come soon Daisuke…please. He still lay curled against the wall, cradling the phone receiver even though it had gone dead. There was crying and crying and he couldn't stop the tears and the pain just hit him all at once. This was how Daisuke found him some ten minutes later.

****

* * *

It was a couple of weeks after the funeral of Ichijouji Osamu. Daisuke had gone, as support for Ken and out of a faint respect to the Ichijouji's and Osamu. Ken had no tears at the funeral, he had cried himself out over the many days leading up to it. It had been terrible, the Ichijouji's looked dead themselves about the loss of their son; like people who had lost all they lived for. They didn't even realize how much Ken was hurting. Daisuke did though, and he had been there for him.

Daisuke was stretched out on the couch, his parents and Jun were out when there came a knock at the door. Daisuke was hesitant as whether to open it or not. It could be Jun or his parents… "Who is it?" He got up and called through the door.

"Daisuke? Its Ken. I need to talk to you."

Daisuke opened the door immediately and admitted him. Ken stood there half in the door way and half out. He looked like he had been crying again. "Oh Ken-chan, come in. What's wrong?" Daisuke asked in alarm. He made as to motion Ken into the living room and close the door but Ken remained standing stiffly where he was. He looked very uncomfortable.

He looked at Daisuke and the boy felt like part of his soul just died right there. Something was wrong. Ken looked awful. His eyes were bright and glassy looking and dark circles ringed them from lack of sleep. "Daisuke I came to tell you…we're leaving."

"Leaving?" Daisuke asked in confusion. What was Ken saying? "What do you mean leaving?"

"We're moving away." Ken seemed very interested in the floor at that particular moment and he couldn't meet Daisuke's gaze.

"Moving away?!" Daisuke echoed. "No you can't!"

"But we are. Okaasan and Otousan can't live here anymore; there are just too many memories here for them to take…"

"But…you're my best friend! What will I do without you?" Daisuke saw two wonderful years of friendship disappear in a flash, right before his eyes. Two years of laughter and light and play and games. And now all of that was gone? Just like that?

"I don't know what I'll do without you Daisuke," tears began to form in Ken's violet eyes. "I'm so sorry…there's nothing I can do."

"When…when are you going?"

"Soon. We won't be here much longer. I tried to explain to my parents how much having you means to me, but they don't understand. All they see is reminders of Osamu everywhere they go. So I'm here to say…good bye."

"…Good bye? How will I live without you?"

"Probably better than I'll live without you…" a single tear spilled over and trickled down Ken's cheek. "I'll never have another best friend. I'll miss you."

"I'll…miss you two," Daisuke said stunned. And then he finally comprehended what was being said. Ken was leaving him. This was the last time he'd ever see him. The boy he loved, the boy he knew he wanted to spend the rest of his life with was going away from him forever. Daisuke could suddenly sense an empty void inside himself that was usually filled with Ken. A life without Ken, what would it be like? He felt numb all the way through.

Ken stepped back out of the door into the hallway. "I'd better go. I just wanted to say good bye…" He was almost out the door with it closed behind him when he turned around suddenly and opened it back again, startling Daisuke. 

Ken kissed Daisuke softly on the cheek, possibly for the last time. Daisuke could only stare at him, he couldn't make himself say anymore. "I love you Motomiya Daisuke. I'm sorry, I love you." And then the door was closed and he was gone. Forever.

"I love you too Ken-chan," Daisuke held his hand to his cheek and whispered the words as he sank down with his back to the door. "But how…how _will_ I live without you?"

****

* * *

"Excellent," Ken chuckled as he looked at the map showing the conquest he'd made of the Digital World. "Things are moving along exactly as I expected them to. Right on schedule. We're doing very well."

"Master…" a quiet voice broke through his thoughts.

"What is it Worm?" Ken snarled. He hated to be interrupted while he was thinking. And if anyone reminded him of how much he was constantly being surrounded by stupidity it was Wormmon. Ken didn't think he'd ever seen such a pathetic, useless excuse for a digimon.

"Master I…" the small, green caterpillar, rookie digimon was interrupted by a harsh beeping noise from one of Ken's terminals. Ken immediately swung his chair away from the digimon and back to facing his screens to see what had made his alarm go off. There were four blinking dots of different colors shown on his monitors. 

"What? There are other people here? Other humans?" Ken asked.

"It must be the other Chosen…" Wormmon muttered. Maybe they could talk some sense into his master, but he doubted it.

"What was that?" Ken growled at him.

"Nothing Master," he said hastily.

"Hmph," Ken tuned him out again. "I think I'll send…Monochromon after them. Whoever they are, they have no right to be here."

Ken watched on his screens as a tall boy with cinnamon red spiked hair and his digimon partner Flamedramon eliminated the dark ring on his Monochromon. In the process the boy had ruined a pair of square sports goggles, when he looked at the broken and twisted lenses some memory, long forgotten, sparked briefly at the back of his mind of another boy who had once worn goggles. 

His eyes traveled up and down the boy. "Not bad," he murmured in slight approval. "Maybe I've found myself a real challenge at last…"

He watched with real interest as an older boy with wild brown hair presented him with a pair of round goggles that he had previously been wearing. Ken personally thought the square goggles were more flattering on him and some part of them was sad to see them go. He finally tuned in to get some sound from them.

Wormmon watched Ken watch the Chosen Children very carefully. He was specifically watching the Chosen Child of Courage. He wondered what the boy was thinking. Ken had actually been interested enough in them to find out what words were going along with the scene.

"Here Davis, the leader of the Chosen Children should always have goggles," the oldest boy was saying as a brunette girl and a tall boy with blonde hair stood watching with small smiles on their faces. The boy Ken now knew was named Davis smiled.

"They look good on you Davis," the pretty girl said.

"Yeah, you think so?" the redhead blushed.

Ken let out a low growl. For some bizarre reason he felt very protective of the boy. How dare that girl try and flirt with him! Just who did she think she was? Like he could honestly like her anyway! Wait a minute…why would he care? He didn't! But…

There was a brief flash of memory. A younger boy who wore square goggles. And then it was gone again almost before Ken could register it. "That boy looks so familiar…" Ken murmured.

Wormmon's antenna perked up in response to that. Did Ken… "Master, do you remember Daisuke…?"

Ken turned to glare at him. Wormmon shied back from him. "Who? What are you talking about Wormmon? Don't waste my time with stupid questions!" Ken snapped.

Another couldn't have existed memory surfaced then. And Ken grabbed unto it and tried to understand, but to no avail. Not all of it would come… 

_There was childish laughter. "That's why I'm your friend…" "Yeah, that's forever… forever… forever…" _And then it faded completely from his mind.

****

* * *

Ken and Daisuke woke at the same time. Ken began to panic. Where was he? What was happening? Daisuke felt the boy start awake in his arms and he held him close and soothed him. "Sshh, Ken its all right."

Ken calmed down almost immediately after hearing Daisuke's voice. He didn't care what was happening anymore, because he knew that he was always safe with Daisuke. He looked up at the boy who was holding him in confusion. "I had a strange dream…"

"Me too," Daisuke admitted looking back at him with the same level of confusion. 

"I don't think I made it up though…I don't know if it was just a dream…it was almost like…"

"Remembering…" Daisuke breathed. "Remembering something we'd forgotten."

"Did you have the same dream?" Ken asked breathlessly.

"I don't know if it was the same…I saw us together…when we were six."

"Me too!"

Daisuke blinked and stared blankly. Thinking hard, something Ken knew he usually despised doing. Daisuke liked things orderly, always the same. Routine almost. And when unexpected things did happen he liked to be able to take them slowly as they came. But this situation wasn't going to let him. "How could we have forgotten? How could I have forgotten you Ken?"

"I don't know," tears welled up in Ken's indigo eyes. But Daisuke wouldn't let him cry. He pulled Ken close and kissed him passionately. Ken kissed back almost desperately, as if afraid Daisuke would disappear if he let him go. They finally drew away.

"I never told you…when you left Ken…I love you too. I've loved you as long as I've known you."

"Thank you Daisuke," Ken smiled sadly.

"We made each other a promise a long time ago…" Daisuke began.

"Friends forever," Ken murmured.

"So…I didn't think I'd ever say this, but…could we…change that promise?"

"What?" Ken was surprised. Did Daisuke not want to be with him anymore? That couldn't be it…could it? He'd just told Ken he loved him…

"Change it to together forever? I want to be so much more than just your friend Ken. I know I want to spend the rest of my life with you…I couldn't live without you."

Ken closed his eyes and leaned more into Daisuke. "Together forever then," he agreed. "Forever."

****

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

****

Dragon Lady: _So…what did you think?_

****

Ken: ***blinks* **_Wow. That was…different._

****

Dragon Lady: _Was it too strange? I wasn't quite sure about it…to tell you the truth I don't think my writing is all that great, but I post it anyway…_

****

Ken: _Don't go getting all insecure! I didn't say it was bad, just different! _

****

Dragon Lady: ***grumbles* **_Well at least you did fall asleep reading this one_. ***narrows eyes suspiciously* **_Did you?_

****

Ken: NO**!** _Of course not! Geez, you're never gonna let me forget that are you?!_

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Dragon Lady: _Not likely_.

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Ken: _Sheesh, a guy makes one mistake…_

****

Dragon Lady: _Aww I'm not made at you. I just like giving my favorite muse a hard time. _***hugs Ken-chan***

Ken: _Eeep!_ ***face starts turning red***

Dragon Lady: _Ooopps. _***releases death grip***

Ken: ***gasping* **_Oh thank you._

****

Dragon Lady: ^_^ '

****

Ken: _And when I said you're story was different I just meant that it almost had a point to it._

****

Dragon Lady: ***looking back over story* **_Really? I don't see one._

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Ken: _Yeah, like a semi-plot type of thing._

****

Dragon Lady: _Whoa…scary…_

****

Ken: _All right, enough with the babbling you know we like to do. Dragon Lady likes anyone who reviews her work. And she's come up with a new policy. If you're a fan fiction author and you review her stuff then she'll go review something of yours. So r/r please! _


End file.
